Duo complete Timbertown-Laurieton run for beloved partner and friend

EMMA Richardson, 35, met her 39-year-old husband Blake in 2010 when they worked together.

Eight years ago they welcomed their much-loved daughter, Sophie.

In July last year, the family received heartbreaking news.

Blake was admitted to hospital in extreme pain with tests showing an 11cm tumour on his kidney.

After surgery to remove both the tumour and kidney, pathology showed that Blake had a rare aggressive cancer known as chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, with 20 percent differentiation.
Unfortunately, this does not respond well to treatment.

Surgery was followed by targeted immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation.

The side effects for Blake were brutal and ultimately not effective.

Despite the terrible toll inflicted by the treatments, Blake is determined to provide for his family and continues to work full-time as a service manager for JLG Industries, who have been extremely supportive.

Knowing time was short, Emma told News Of The Area that she “wanted the three of us to make family memories, but that required money”.

“I knew that Blake would never ask for anything, but I felt like if I did a major run where people could sponsor me he’d be more OK with that.”

Close friend and local running legend Rob Lloyd helped come up with a 100km route for a trail run, and stashed drop bags of snacks and drinks along the way.

The pair started in Timbertown at 8pm Friday and ended in Laurieton on Saturday afternoon.

Their run through Bago and Kew was steep, with the elevation climbing to 1500m in the first 15kms.

An hour later, storms hit.

“It was hard, but I kept thinking of Blake and everything he has had to push through, and that kept me going.

“His courage has been a gift.”

Supporters ran sections and cheered, while Blake and Sophie followed them from checkpoint to checkpoint before meeting Emma at the end of the run with flowers and her favourite snacks of Pepsi Max and Turkish Delight.

By Rachael THORPE